Acoustica offers us a host of rising stars on the second day

Welcoming me back to Acoustica on the second day are Lazibyrd whose mix of pleasing vocals and guitar, and the occasional burst of fiddle put us in the mood for the second day of acoustic music. Even more welcoming is their song about being at Glastonbury Festival 'Daft Headgear and Muddy Boots' that helps remind me that I'm at a festival again today. Although perhaps I should replace the lyrics about the lost Dance Tent with the lost Film Room, as I never managed to look in at the various films airred over the weekend.

With it not raining it wasn't long until I looked in on the Garden Stage which already had a larger crowd than at it's opening the day before. They were here to hear 16 year old local lad Harry Vinnicombe who taps and strums his own compositions including 'If You Ever Get Lost', 'Soldiers & Serenity', and an unnamed work in progress, all from his forthcoming debut album.

Honey Sol has one of those raspy female voices I just don't personally like. Fortunately I'm in the minority and the duo draw a decent crowd to hear their selection of covers.

After grabbing a cider, I head back to the Garden Stage for Paper Anchor the solo project name for Andy McCaffley. When I get there I'm a bit unsure after hearing a 'Billy Jean/Smells Like Teen Spirit' acoustic mash up. He follows this up with a decent own composition, he says it's a new song and hopes to have it on Facebook next week. He follows it with a cover of Keane's 'Bedshaped'his breathy vocal delivery, and guitar make it a decent cover. I like it even more as it reminds me of my old argument that Keane should have had guitars not keyboards doing the job! But it's when he puts away his plectrum and plucks his strings that the music comes alive (unlike Keane's). More head bopping covers follow, a cover of his idols Oasis' 'The Importance Of Being Idle' proves he has a better voice than one Gallagher, if not yet the honed skills of his brother. A few more decent originals follow, and he ends with covers of festival favourites Frank Turner and Ed Sheeran. A decent festival set from an impressive sounding newcomer.

Troubled Cousin brings Nashville's country brand of acoustica to the festival. The first country tunes of the weekend. Clearly a huge Steve Earle fan the bar slows into his 'Come Out Tonight', and I'm genuinely quite unprepared when he delivers a cover of Jeff Klein's 'I'm Sorry Sweet Emily'. It's very gentle music to sit and sup on a beer too as the crowd builds, with the main auditoium is about to open. As the anticipation builds 'Where It Comes Down' changes the tempo.

Out in the Secret Garden the temperature is dropping, and it looks like rain as the uptempo songs of Woodford Green keep our spirits up, and I remain optimistic that it won't rain. They're website describes them as "mariachi-tinged" and I've been unable to come up with anything more suited. They play accordian, and trumpet, ukelele, and swap instruments and roles, and it's quirky and upbeat. Breezy and upbeat and rather different, I'd be happy to hear more of them. The duo had watched Dry The River the day before and enjoyed singing along so much they decide to do a rare cover of 'History Book'.

Blimey, it turns out Jon Chatwin is local, he has a penchant for American imagery in his songs, and delivers them with a fantastically rich voice. A song written after a dream about Johnny Cash called 'You Can't Reach The Highway From Here', and 'If You Love Someone' are the two standout tracks of what I hear, although I could happily listen to his voice for some time without getting bored. 'RLS' a song penned about Robert Louis Stephenson, and his "political song" 'Hard Times' come close second.

Outside Torbay's Mae and the Midnight Fairground, tonight performing as a duo, are an unexpected amusing and entertianing hit. A perfect feel good festival act. Mae Kethauser is hyper and quirky on painted organ and vocals and a laid back bubble blowing clarinet player. Mae has a captivating, cheeky quality, and holds us all firmly in sway with songs of romance, mortgages, and strangers. They create a late night carnival atmosphere and provide us with some fantastic songs like 'Bill', 'Tabby', 'Lucian', and 'Crooked Little Leg' with little stories around each. As it's been raining they have invited everyone into the cover to listen to their music. The songs are gloriously simple and brilliantly successful. We even get a cover, at the request of one of the gethered audience of Kate Bush's 'Army Dreamers' and Mae's voice is similar to Bush's which makes for a decent listen. At the end Mae asks the soundman teasingly if they can do one more and launch into the final number with the crowd only to happy to join in on the 'Ooooh Ahhhh' chouses.

Exeter's Count To Fire are promoted to an Auditorium slot this year, and judging by their stunning performance they're sure to getting a one way ticket to all the festivals next summer if this show is anything to go by. The five piece rock the place with seven outstanding tracks, and receive a hue ovation by the time they conclude their set with a wall of Americana noise! From opener 'A Room', through 'Casablanca' and new one 'Every Minute' the band just completely connect to their audience. But it's when they find their confidence in 'City Lights', and step up a gear for 'Emotion Machine'. By the time the screen drops to show the audience the new video for 'I'm The Man You Need' it's clear lead singer Will Odgers knows that this is a career defining moment. The The five piece finish their set with Ray Hill's pedal steel guitar cutting through the wall of sound created by Odgers and Joe Mansfield's violin. These guys are ready for the big time.

It seems that much of the crowd had come just to see Count To Fire for the venue seemed visibly less busy following their set, perhaps they knew they wouldn't see a better act that night. Hope they sound as good on record.

Upstairs Laura J Martin is a fantastically different mixing Ian Anderson-esque flute, fifties exercise tapes, and folky mandolin, with loop pedals, shamanic drum sounds, and ballet dancing - weird and watchable!

Laura Gibson is a more traditional folksinger bringing classic moody Americana with cleverly spun lyrics. The wonderful thing about this festival is that in just a few steps you can skip from one awesome thing to another, and in drummer Sean Ogilvie (from Musée Mécanique) she has a musician who is able to play "more instruments than humanly possible." He not only provides vocals and keyboards but he's also drumming and playing the melodica at the same time. Stand out tracks for me are 'Skin Warming Skin',and 'Hands In Pockets', and she presents a lot of songs from the forthcoming 'La Grande' - her January 2012 album, which looks like one to get in the January sales.

Buswell are usually a 16 piece, but today they appear on the Secret Garden Stage as just a duo. You'd have thought that would make them less of an attraction, but in Shaun Buswell you have a prestigious talent, and with Chloe Reynolds on percussion who has just worked with to complete the recording of the new album in Sweden.

There's quite a crowd braving the cold and so the pair have cooked up a scheme to involve us, and for us to take the blame if it all goes wrong. We have to select numbers which correspond to songs and thus choose the setlist. The songs are wonderful, I can't wait for the album, with Shaun at times distractedly humming where he can hear the classical strings, brass and woodwind sections amongst the bare bones of the music. We realise it's a rare treat to hear the songs so stripped down, and still working so well, and it's made more intimate and special when it begins to rain and they both invite in to the tiny stage space to rub elbows with them as they play, a rare treat!

Meanwhile duo Hannah Peel are captivating audiences in the auditorium with captivating weird lo-fi folk pop music made using music boxes with paper ribbons providing the music, but I miss this due to being completely enthralled by the Buswell duo. The headliners Songdog take to the stage next but a power outtage in a spell of heavy rain curtails their set early.

In the main auditorium Richmond Fontaine take to the stage to bring us their Portland alt country. The sound is perfect but after such interesting stage presences tonight they're a little sombre to immediately settle into live. Their music is something I've got used to as a solitary experience, and so I make for the afterparty at the Bike Shed for more Shaky Bridge Scrumpy, the smell of cocktails, and Ellen and the Escapades.

The quintet, billed by the venue as "the Biggest act they've ever had" start quietly, and it's a strain to hear Ellen's vocals over the noise of those clearly not here for the music, who feel a need to shout to each other over the band's alternative folk tracks. It gets to the point where I have to go and ask a few people to shut up, and it works for a little while, but there's only so many times it works during a 45 minute set. The band showcase songs from 'Of All The Times' and some new songs but it gets harder and harder to hear them. I go out for a cigarette halfway through, and discover I can hear the band much better out there, and they sound great. I get to hear their cover of The Band's 'The Weight (Take a load off Annie)' and it makes my night. Hopefully I'll get a chance to better hear their songs at a festival next summer, or perhaps they'll play Exeter again. Fingers crossed.

The festival offers great value for money with 50+ well known and breaking acts over six stages at a price of £16 for both days or 32p a band plus films, and DJs! With tea, coffee, drinks and alcohol at normal prices, and cheap early evening food available, it makes for an attractive event for both students, and older fans. Even with hotel accommodation for those coming from further a field it works out as a value for money festival.

Overall the festival presented a great weekend of music, and I never realised the region had so much good new local talent. I've got nothing negative to say about the event at all, apart from the noise issues from those not wanting to see the bands playing at the Bike Shed. Even the bands who cancelled weren't too big a blow for me as there was more than enough to see elsewhere (apologies to those who I didn't get to review), although I would like to have seen Alessi's Ark. Sound quality elsewhere was excellent, bar staff and security friendly, food and drink reasonably priced, and enough toilets over the site not to have to queue. I hope the festival continues to flourish and I'll be back for more Acoustic music next year.

Latest Updates